Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-04-01

ture, to bring all possible pressure to
secure Its passage.
High license is a Backward step.
License, taken alone, simply means
two things: sales by q limited number of
persons, and payment for the privilege
of these sales. High license means that
this payment shall be a large one. Judg.
ed from o moral and social point OF view
high license-notwlthstanding it is
claimed to be tie result of q common
sense, practical way of looking at things
lis an exceedingly illogical position.
As practical men often despise theories,
it may be this Very contempt which high
license puts npon principle that imparts
to 1T, with the thoughtless, a flavor OF
common sense.
But it is said, we find this trfiac estab-
lished in custom and COMMON law. We
are SIMPLY proposing to limit it, to take
IN part from it what 1t already has. Are
You simply about to limit it? Are you
not rather in restricting it, e~-establish-
ing 1t in statute law. and leaving your
children to their chances of shaking it
off again; of taking their necks from I'M
der tho particular yoke you have laid
upon them?
IT the high license policy ia once
established it will take o much more stern
and earnest spirit than that which is
now helping TO build it to overthrow it.
The temper which comedies il will never
destroy it.
What effect will the method of pro-
cedure justified by these advocates of
high license have on human progress ?
The argument runs in this wise: Men
are not prepared for prohibition; they
are ready for high license; let as take
this step, when they are ready for the
next step, we will take that in turn.
Why is not the community ready for
prohibition? Because there is SO much
lear in it, and distrust in it; SO many
interests that are disturbed by prohibit
ton 60 little unflnchlng moral force
present in all our minds. How will it
be made ready for prohibition !? BY
more courage, more confidence 10
righteousness, less sensitiveness to the
claims of immediate money-making.
Who is to make it ready for prohi-
bitlon? We, you and / and nobody else.
Ii we show timidIty, if we share the
cool-headed group whose counsels are
hhi nOhCkldCNL ny CoL1 EClSt, WuUSB
method is one of concession, who are
striving simply to find q path through
the evils about them, who is to correct
this lower temper, who ia to bring in the
higher one? That quiet philosophy
which says: THE world can go forward
only about so fast, don't push too hard
on it. you will waste your strength and
brulse your shoulder is immoral to
Az par,, ,1~asan T. a.Ise, .kLmy r - NM
Incidence to the load to be drawn. The
true moral temper is; s!rhe world can
and must go forward. Issue the order
at once. 1t must go forward now, and by
my effort" This is the spirit that will
Gerry it forward. and in the degree in
-3hieh 1t prevails will society advance.
That eye for possibilities, that commop
sense eye in search of what is to be. done
next, is really in search of what is to be
done provided you and / and others do
not disturb ourselves, or put ourselves
in any way 20 serious discomfort. Where
are the comfortable spots in the world F?
common sense inquiries, the common
sense of self interest, Selhshness has
always been thought peculiarly endued
with common Men will praise
you If you do we'll for yourself.
Why is q man in the world? Why is
he an American citizen? Evidently, to
act oIasand carry forward, if possible,
his own view OF the well being of men.
While he is accepting some ones else
opinion, inferior confessedly to his own;
while lie is yielding to current counsel,
what is to become of his own opinion?
Who is to execute his devicee? While
we are advocating high license and get
ting warm over it, what is to become of
total abstinence, what is one's duty as a
citizen, save this very duty to hold
steadily in all places the best policy be-
fore his fellow citizens, to urge it,, to
vote for 1t. One truth stauncbly held in
this way is worth, in moral power, five
thousand CONCESSIONS. President John
Bascom, Of Wisconsin, Uairersity.